The Mayor works full-time, managing the day-to-day operations of the City and providing leadership and policy direction to the City Council. The Mayor chairs all meetings of the City Council,
voting only in the case of a tie. The six members of the City Council work part-time, holding budget and policy-setting authority for the city. The Mayor and City Council members are elected
at large by popular vote. City Council members are elected to a specific Council seat, but the seats are not determined geographically. City elections are held in odd number years (e.g. 2007, 2009, 2011).

Members of City Council are (L to R): Council President Pro Tem Elaine Clegg,
Council Member TJ Thomson,
Council President Lauren McLean,
Mayor David H. Bieter,
Council Member Lisa E. Sánchez,
Council Member Holli Woodings
and Council Member Scot Ludwig

Crisis Negotiations Team

Mission Statement

The mission of the Boise Police Department's Crisis Negotiation Team is to provide the field commander with negotiators who have been specifically trained and equipped to diffuse critical incidents involving suspects who are suicidal, barricaded, hostage-taking or engaged in terrorist activities.

Negotiators seek to accomplish this task by persuasion and thus minimizing the need for the use of force; yet, they also continually provide the field and tactical (SOU) commanders with intelligence should a tactical solution be required.

Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT)

120 BPD Officers trained in CIT

Annual Block training for all officers on behavioral health topic

All BPD Officers receive CIT Training in Verbal De-escalation, LE Response to Autism Spectrum, a variety of interviewing of special victims related training, scenarios involving use of force options with people in crisis

Regular briefing training regarding behavioral health concerns

All officers trained in with 4 hours of mental health specialized training

CIT Model reduces both stigma and the need for further involvement with the criminal justice system

The goal of CIT is to improve officer and public safety, to redirect Individuals with mental illness from the judicial system to the health care system.